
Class JE&LAm, 
Book _JL5Jl4»- 



DIES IRJE 




CAMBRIDGE 

PRIVATELY PRINTED 

1863 



V - 



DIES irje 



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a 




CAMBRIDGE 
PRIVATELY PRINTED 

1863 



D '^ 

3&1* 



C ambri d g e 

Printed at the Riverside Press 

By H. O. Houghton 



DIES IRiE. 




HAVE recently seen in the period- 
ical press several new translations of 
this noble canticle — the best produced by 
the Middle Ages — perhaps by any age. 

Among the English versions that . of the 
Earl of Roscommon seems to have caught 
more of the inspiration of the original than 
any I have seen. It is, nevertheless, a par- 
aphrase rather than a translation. This is 
a serious fault, notwithstanding its high 
poetic merit. A production, universally ac- 
knowledged to have no superior of its class, 



4 DIES IRJE. 

should be as literally rendered as the struct- 
ure of the language into which it is trans- 
lated will admit. Moreover, no translation 
can be complete which does not conform to 
the original in its rhythmic quantities. The 
music of the Dies Irae is as old as the 
hymn, if not older; and with those who 
are familiar with both, they are inseparably 
connected in thought. To satisfy the exac- 
tions of such minds, the cadences must be 
the same. 

With full knowledge of what has been 
done and attempted in our language, and of 
the difficulty of doing better, I have never- 
theless ventured on a translation having in 
view the two ends which I have pointed 
out — musical notation, and^ literal render- 
ing to the extent that it is attainable. 



DIES ir je. 5 

It is the fruit of leisure moments gained 
from the hard service of the camp, on rebel 
soil, but within Union entrenchments. If, 
in the ages of paganism, the strings of the 
Lesbian lyre might be, not unworthily, swept 
by hands inured to arms, — 

" Qui ferox bello, tamen inter arma, 

Liberum, et Musas, Veneremque, et ill! 
Semper haerentem puerum canebat," — 

a soldier in a Christian age may not less 

worthily find relief from the asperities of war 

in themes more congenial with the higher 

dispensations which he is, by the providence 

of God, permitted to share. 

Fort , Va., June 17, 1863. 




dies mm. 



AY of vengeance, without morrow ! 
Earth shall end in flame and sorrow, 
As from Saint and Seer we borrow. 



Ah ! what terror is impending, 
When the Judge is seen descending, 
And each secret veil is rending. 

3- 
To the throne, the trumpet sounding, 
Through the sepulchres resounding, 
Summons all, with voice astounding. 



DIES ir^:. 



D 



I. 



IES irae, dies ilia ! 



Solvet saeclum in favilla, 
Teste David cum Sibylla. 

ii. 
Quantus tremor est futurus, 
Quando Judex est venturus, 
Cuncta stricte discussurus ! 

in. 

Tuba, mirum spargens sonum 
Per sepulcra regionum, 
Coget omnes ante thronum. 



8 DIES irje. 

4. 

Death and Nature, mazed, are quaking, 
When, the grave's long slumber breaking, 
Man to judgment is awaking. 

5- 
On the written Volume's pages, 
Life is shown in all its stages — 
Judgment-record of past ages ! 

6. 
Sits the Judge, the raised arraigning, 
Darkest mysteries explaining, 
Nothing unavenged remaining. 

7. 
What shall I then say, unfriended, 
By no advocate attended, 
When the just are scarce defended. 



DIES JRJE. 

IV. 

Mors stupebit, et natura, 
Quum resurget creatura 
Judicanti responsura. 



Liber scriptus proferetur, 
In quo totum continetur, 
De quo mundus judicetur. 

VI. 

Judex ergo quum sedebit, 
Quidquid latet apparebit, 
Nil inultum remanebit. 

vn. 
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus, 
Quern patronum rogaturus, 
Quum vix Justus sit securus ? 



I0 DIES IR.E. 

8. 
King of majesty tremendous, 
By Thy saving grace defend us ; 
Fount of pity, safety send us ! 

9- 
Holy Jesus, meek, forbearing, 
For my sins the death-crown wearing, 
Save me, in that day, despairing. 

IO. 

Worn and weary Thou hast sought me ; 
By Thy cross and passion bought me ; — 
Spare the hope Thy labors brought me. 

ii. 

Righteous Judge of retribution, 
Give, O give me absolution 
Ere the day of dissolution. 



DIES 1RJE. IX 

VIII. 

Rex tremendae majestatis, 
Qui salvandos salvas gratis, 
Salva me, fons pietatis ! 

IX. 

Recordare, Jesu pie, 

Quod sum causa Tuae viae ; 

Ne me perdas ilia die ! 



Quaerens me sedisti lassus, 
Redemisti, crucem passus -> 
Tantus labor non sit cassus ! 

XI. 

Juste Judex ultionis, 
Donum fac remissionis 
Ante diem rationis ! 



12 dies mm. 

12. 

As a guilty culprit groaning, 
Flushed my face, my errors owning, 
Hear, O God, my spirit's moaning ! 

13- 
Thou to Mary gav'st remission, 
Heard'st the dying thief's petition, 
Bad'st me hope in my contrition. 

14. 
In my prayers no grace discerning, 
Yet on me Thy favor turning, 
Save my soul from endless burning ! 

15- 
Give me, when Thy sheep confiding 
Thou art from the goats dividing, 
On Thy right a place abiding ! 



DIES mm. 

XII. 

Ingemisco tanquam reus, 
Culp& rubet vultus meus : 
Supplicant! parce, Deus ! 

XIII. 

Qui Mariam absolvisti, 
Et latronem exaudisti, 
Mihi quoque spem dedisti. 

XIV. 

Preces meae non sunt dignae, 
Sed Tu bonus fac benigne, 
Ne perenni cremer igne ! 

xv. 
Inter oves locum praesta, 
Et ab haedis me sequestra, 
Statuens in parte dextrfi ! 



l 3 



14 DIES IRJE. 

16. 
When the wicked are confounded, 
And by bitter flames surrounded, 
Be my joyful pardon sounded ! 

17. 
Prostrate, all my guilt discerning, 
Heart as though to ashes turning ; 
Save, O save me from the burning ! 

18. 
Day of weeping, when from ashes 
Man shall rise mid lightning flashes, 
Guilty, trembling with contrition, 
Save him, Father, from perdition! 



DIES irje. 

XVI. 

Confutatis maledictis, 
Flammis acribus addictis, 
Voca me cum benedictis ! 

XVII. 

Oro supplex et acclinis. 
Cor contritum quasi cinis : 
Gere curam mei finis ! 

XVIII. 

Lacrymosa dies ilia 
Qua resurget ex favillE 
Judicandus homo reus ; 
Huic ergo parce, Deus ! 



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